School bus safety remains a significant concern in the United States, with school transportation-related crashes resulting in 1,282 fatalities between 2007 and 2016, including 281 school-age children (NHTSA). In New Jersey, from 2016 to 2024, around 16,000 crashes have been recorded related to school buses, out of which 89 crashes were fatal.

The goal of this project was to identify key risk factors contributing to school bus crashes, evaluate the effectiveness of safety regulations, and recommend measures to reduce crash frequency and severity.

The outcome of this project includes strategies to improve regulatory compliance, strengthen driver training, and enhance the use of safety technologies. The project also provides actionable recommendations to improve student transportation safety by integrating data-driven insights with policy assessments to proactively enhance student safety, reduce crash risks, and improve regulatory compliance.